Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This past year has seen exceptional bad weather which has brought unwelcome hardship to farming families. Both the Minister, Deputy Creed, and I have worked through our Department and with Teagasc, co-operatives, farming organisations and farmers themselves to find ways to help the farming community deal with this very challenging time. In response to the problems experienced in the west and north west in late autumn and winter, the Minister, Deputy Creed, and I took the following steps to ensure the availability of fodder. Teagasc was asked to prioritise direct support to farmers by providing fodder budgeting and nutritional advice throughout the winter. The payment of farm supports to assist farmers with cash flow was prioritised and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has paid out over €1.6 billion to Irish farmers under Pillar I and Pillar II and will continue to make residual payments. The Minister, Deputy Creed, convened a fodder group chaired by Teagasc and consisting of all the key stakeholders to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the issue. A targeted fodder transport support measure, with an allocation of €500,000 was introduced by the Department on 29 January, providing assistance to livestock farmers in the west and north west. Throughout this challenging time, the Department's animal welfare helpline has been continuously available to offer assistance to any farmer experiencing animal welfare issues.

The continuation of unseasonably cold weather throughout March delayed the onset of spring, inhibited grass growth and resulted in livestock having to be housed for longer than usual. As a result, the fodder problem became more widespread and extended to the more heavily stocked regions in the south and east. In response, Department officials arranged meetings with Teagasc and industry representatives to identify what further action might be taken. The decision was taken at ministerial level to extend the fodder transport measure to all counties and to introduce a fodder import support measure with an allocation of €1.5 million to ensure that sufficient fodder was available to all farmers. This measure, which is being operated through the co-operatives and other approved importers, is supporting the importation of approximately 20,000 tonnes of fodder into the country and will be kept under review until the current crisis is over.

In addition, the Road Safety Authority of Ireland has agreed to greater flexibility for road hauliers engaged in the transport of fodder and feed. The green low-carbon agri-environment, GLAS, traditional hay meadow grazing date has been extended to 1 May 2018. The closing date for nitrates derogation applications has been extended to 30 April. Balancing payments under certain Pillar II schemes, including the sheep welfare scheme, will issue in the coming weeks, followed by GLAS in mid-May. The animal welfare helpline continues to be available to farmers in need. The Minister, Deputy Creed, recently met with the CEOs of the main banks.

In what has been an evolving challenge, firstly due to an early winter period in the west and north west but more recently as a result of delayed turn-out of livestock to grazing lands across the country, we have responded in a targeted and appropriate way ensuring access to fodder for all farmers in need. Notwithstanding this, Teagasc is being asked to prioritise fodder conservation for future winters in its farm advisory campaigns to ensure there are adequate stocks for next winter. I am confident that the actions outlined above will ensure that farmers will be able to successfully plan more effectively for winters such as the one we have just witnessed.

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